Safety apparatus



April 29, 1941. zoDER SAFETY APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 18, 1939 April 29, 1941. Q E ZODER sum? AIPARATUS Filed Nov. 18, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 w a I! 6 MM. Jr; 2. n 5 3, Z w FTJ j in V IVM 3 9 9 FIG .4.

A ril 29, 1941,; oft-z. ZOD ER. I SAFETY APPARATUS I I Filed Nov. 18 1939 4 Sheets-Shet 3 Q o. E. ZODER SAFETY APPARATUS Filed Nov. 18, 1939 ill 4i 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 29, 1941 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE SAFETY APPARATUS Orr-en E. Zoder, St. Louis, Mo., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Zoder, Incorporated, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application November- 18, 1939, Serial No. 305,159

Claims. 7 (01. 137-68) application, Serial No. 214,735, flied June 20,-

1938, for Safety apparatus and now Patent No. 2,194,348 granted March 19, 1940, of which the present-invention is in part a continuation.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of means for cutting of! dangerous liquid under emergency conditions, wherein failure of operation under any nonemergency conditions may quickly be rectified; the provision of apparatus of the class described in which part of the said emergency cut-oil means is used for indicating an uncapped condition of a tank; the provision of apparatus of the class described which includes highly sensitive means which under normal operating conditions prevents escape of products of evaporation, but which under abnormal conditions permits their free escape to reduce pressure; the provision of apparatus of the class described which without much change in the basic mechanical form may be constructed (when desired), so as to release said products of evaporation under normal operating conditions; and the provision of a simple form of safety apparatus adapted to avoid an emptying syphoning action on tanks under abnormal conditions. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinaften,

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown several of various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a fuel tank, parts being in elevation, showing one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 4, which, with respect to Fig. 1, is enlarged;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section which is at a right angle to Fig. 4 and which is taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 23

Figs. 6, '7 and 8 are horizontal sections taken onlines 6-6, and 8-8, respectively, of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a' fusible plug;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section of an alternative form of the invention; and, 4

Fig. 11 is another fragmentary vertical section on a part of the Fig. 10 embodiment.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at numeral a gasoline tank, which is an example of the class of apparatus to which the present invention applies. This tank has an opening 3 (Fig. 4) within which is fastened by brazing, welding, or the like 5, a flanged member 1. This member I has a skirt 3 which extends into the tank I for the purpose of limiting the height to which the liquid level may be raised in the tank. That is, after the fluid level II reaches the maximum elevation on the bottom of theskirt 9, air is trapped within the tank above and outside the skirt to prevent further rise in said level. However, the level may then rise within the skirt to effect an overflow (or potential overflow) condition in order a of four pillars 35, 31,

, the winged cap 29 into the opening 3|, the

to warn the operator that fllling has been completed to the greatest extent possible.

Threaded into the flange I is a downwardly projecting body l3which is sealed to the flange member by means of a gasket l5. This body I3 is hollow and consists essentially of a top portion H in which is an opening l9 closed by a 4 cover 2|. A gasket 23 is located in a groove in the bottom of the cover 2|. The cover includes a threaded pin 25 which has a loose rotary connection at 21 with a winged cap 29,"t he latter being removably threaded into an opening 3| above the opening l9. vThe gasket 23 is adapted to seat upon an edge 33 arranged between the threaded opening 3| and the opening IS. The winged cap 29 is rotary with respect to the pin 25 and has a slight angular play with respect thereto, so that, upon applying the assembly of the winged cap 29 and cover 2| and by screwing gasket 23 may squeeze against its seat after contact without rotary motion, thus preventing scarifying of the gasket 23 and assuring a permanently ood seal.

The mid, closed-in portion 43 of the body I3 is connected with the top portion II. by means in recesses 43, are located concentric screens 45,

.39 and 4|, around which, I

the inner one of which screens is relatively coarse, and the outer one of which is relatively flne. The coarse screen protects the fine screen from being dented and the fine screen serves as a strainer.

Thus, the pillars 35, 31, 09, ll form a laterally open space 41 through which gasoline may flow out around the pillars and through the screens 45 to a point within the skirt 9 from whence it is deflected to gravitate into the tank I. The

skirt 9 thus serves both as a deflector and an air trap.

In order that the nozzle of the gasoline filling hose may not be blocked by resting flat upon the intermediate floor member 49 01' the space 41, there is formed in said floor 49 a ridge i which serves as a support for the end or the nozzle. but which is narrow enough that it will not close oi! the nozzle. Thus, under any conditions or nozzle insertion there is insured a tree flow of gasoline from the nozzle and through the chamber 41. Furthermore, the ridge 5i has its side curved as at 53, to assure a fairly streamlined motion 01 the liquid laterally to the screens 45.

Below the floor 49 is a substantially enclosed float'chamber compartment 55 which has a bottom 51 and cylindric sides. In the bottom 51 is a depression 59 for seating a ball weight 5|. Slightly spaced above the latter is a hollow float 63 mounted upon a lever 55. The lever 55 is pivoted at 51 to' ears 59 01' a support TI. The support II includes a downwardly extending stop 13 for engaging a corresponding stop 15 on the end of the lever 55. Thus, the downward motion of the lever (and of the float 59) is limited to a place just above the ball ii.

The support II is held between sealing gaskets I'I by means of a threaded valve casing 19. The casing is threaded into a boss 9i, extending downwardly from the intermediate wall 49.

In the valve casing I9 is a cylindric hollow portion which slidably carries a polygonal valve pin 59, the latter normally resting upon the lever 55 and having a seat 05 which is cooperable with a valve seat 51 in the top of the valve casing I9. The opening within the seat. Ill communicates with a passage 09 which in turn leads to a vertical passage 9I through the pillar 4|. The passage 0| leads upwardly to an inlet 99 and communicates with the atmosphere.

When the lever 55 has its stop I5 against the stop 15, and the float 53 gravitates down, as indicated in Fig. 4, then the valve 89 is opened, thus permitting air to enter and leave the lower space 55.

It the apparatus tilts a substantial amount, as in an overturning accident, then the ball weight 5I automatically moves against the weight 63 to close said valve 83. Thus, if the tank I overturns in an accident, gasoline cannot escape to a dangerous exterior point through the vent 9i. The lever 55 provides a mechanical advantage between the float 53 and valve 85.

As indicated in Fig. 5, the compartment 55 is in communication with a point near the bottom of the tank by means of a passage 95 and a pipe 91. Whenever gasoline enters the tank, as above described, its level may rise in the pipe 81 at passage 95 (with its level in the tank), because of the free exit of air permitted by the open valve 85 from the connected space 55.

At about the time that the liquid level II rises. both within and without the compartment 55, to the maximum lower edge portion of skirt 9 (see Fig. 4), the float 03 is raised and the valve closed. Thus, all connection between the interior oi the tank and the atmospheric exterior is cut off. By this means. the octane rating of the gasoline, for example, is preserved by preventing evaporation to the atmosphere. Under warm conditions, such as on a warm day, evaporation may take place into the space above the level II and outside 01 the skirt 9, thus placing a moderate superatmospheric pressure upon the con tained gasoline. This may occur at any liquid level, such as for example under conditions of a hali-Iull tank, and under such conditions it is still desirable to prevent evaporation losses. The

present construction prevents such loss by reason 01' the fact that the superatmospheric pressure (due to evaporation) exerted upon the liquid level of the gasoline in the tank forces the gasoline up the pipe 91 and through the passage 95 to the compartment 55. thus raising the liquid level in the latter to a point where the float 59 is maintained in a raised position to close the valve 85. Thus, pressure engendered by evaporation serves to cut oil escape of evaporating fluid. or course. when evaporation does not occur. as on a cold day, there may be no inside pressure to cause raising oi the liquid level around the float 69 in compartment 55, but under such conditions an open valve 55 does not result in any substantial evaporative loss. because there is substantially no evaporated fluid.

In order to withdraw gasoline from the tank under normal conditions, there is provided the suction line 99 leading to the usual gasoline pump or the like. This is connected with the passage IOI which passes downwardly through the pillar 31 to a point beneath the bottom 51. Attached beneath the bottom 51 is a cap I09 which holds in place a stainless steel flexible diaphragm I05 which permits no leakage therethrough and which is provided at its central portion with a hermetically sealed anvil I 01.

The passage IOI communicates to a point heneath the diaphragm I05 by means of a passage I09, and reduced pressure caused by suction in the line 99 will depress the flexible diaphragm I05. The anvil I01 01' the diaphragm I05 operates to open a valve III which is normally biased upward to close by means 01' a spring II 3. The passage II5 beneath the valve III is provided with a strainer II I and communicates with a pipe II9.which leads to a point near the bottom of the tank I. Atmospheric pressure is admitted above the diaphragm I05 by means of a branch passage IZI leading from the passage 8|.

Thus, when suction occurs in the line 99, the reduced pressure under the diaphragm causes diaphragm depression and opening of the valve III against action of spring H3. Liquid then passes from the pipe H9, through the valve III and through passages I09 and IM to said line 99. Whenever suction ceases in the line 99, pressure builds up beneath the diaphragm I05 and the spring II3 recloses the valve III. The result is that, if the suction line 99 should break while the tank is overturned, no liquid would flow therefrom in view of the closed valve 1 I I.

Passage I0! has a branch indicated at I23 which leads to the seat 33. The end of the branch I23 is closed off by the gasket 23 when the cover ZI is held in place. Whenever said .cover 2I is removed or is loose, then the by-passage I23 is opened. This breaks the suction in the port IOI' and prevents the diaphragm I05 from depressing the valve III. Thus, if the operator attempts to leave a filling point with the also provided an opposite passage I39 in the,

cover 2| removed, he cannot do so to any great distance, because when he starts the en ine, he has no substantial amount of gasoline available. He may be able to start the engine on the gasoline that is available in the carburetor, but this is soon exhausted, and he is led soon to discover his mistake of having forgotten replacement of the cover. 2|. Thus, the device functions as a telltale requiring application of the tank cover before proceeding far from a filling point.

Another feature is that, if the diaphragm I05 should accidentally break, due to wear, no gasoline can be withdrawn over the line 99 as connected in Fig, 4, because air which is available above the diaphragm by way of passages SI and I2I passes through the leaking diaphragm I05,

and to a point therebeneath to balance pressure and close valve III, thus preventing suction of gasoline. Thus, the operator is warned of a difficulty and to permit him to proceed until repairs can be made the construction of Fig. 5 is used. An auxiliary passage I25 passes downwardly through the pillar 35, past the compartment 55 and through the head I03, where it is provided with a suction pipe I21 which reaches within a short distance of the bottom of the tank. This passage I25 is normally sealed off by means of a threaded plug I29 over which is placed a removable substance such as tell-tale, red' sealing wax I3I. Thus, in the case of a leak of air through the diaphragm I05, he is warned by cessation of engine operation. He then simply disconnects the suction line 99 (Fig. 4) and reconnects said line 99 to the passage I (Fig. 5), after having removed the plug I29. By this means, with suction in the line 99, gasoline is extracted directly from the bottom of the tank in the usual way. Under these emergency conditions, the safety features of the present apparatus due to the diaphragm I05 are temporarily 01' no benefit. But the operator, when he receives no gasoline'over the line 99, needs not to carry out any substantial repair work, but simply reconnects the line 99. This is a simple operation.

In Fig. 9 is shown the provision of anemergency port I 3| which at the upper end carries a screen I33 covered by means of a fusible material I35 such as a lead alloy which will melt at a temperature of about 170 F. The purpose of this is to provide a fusible releasing element which under high temperatures will vent the tank substantially. It is clear that it is advantageous that the vent 9| be small. On the other hand, such a small vent connection is ordinarily not enough to vent products which are evaporated at a high rate, such as under conditions of fire buming around the tank in case of an accident. When such a fire occurs, the fusible plug I 35 will melt out and permit the venting at the desired rate because of the increase in size of the emergency outlet I 3I. It is of course true that the vented material is inflammable, but lt is always more desirable to permit such material to burn in the case of an accident than to have the pressure in the tank build up and cause the tank to explode and thusthrow its flaming material to substantial distances. The screen I33 i of a fine enough mesh to act as a Davey screen to prevent flame propagation into the tank through the opening I3I.

In Figs. 10 and 11 is shown an alternative feature not incorporated in the structure thus far described. This is in the provision of a small cross vent I31 near the. top of the skirt Sconnecting its interior with its exterior. There is member I3 which communicates through passages I IIwith the lower compartment 55. As shown in Fig. 11, the pipe 91 is not used in connection with passage 95, the latter being plugged as shown at I24. The purpose of this alternative construction is to fulfill the needs of those who desire a permanent communication between the interior of the tank and the exterior through a vent. With this construction the operation upon filling is for the rising liquid level to force out air over the ports I39 and III, through the compartment 55 and through the open valve 83. When the liquid level reaches the skirt, it ceases to rise outside of the skirt at any substantial rate, because of the smallness of the size of the port I3T for relieving trapped air above level II. Thereafter it quickly rises within the skirt, because of the small open connection with the atmosphere through port I9, until it overflows. It ordinarily never reaches the opening I19 because when the tank overflows at the inlet the operator ceases filling. If it does reach to the opening I39,'the interval is so short as to be inconsequential from the viewpoint of movement of liquid into the chamber 55. Thereafter the liquid level within the skirt falls to the level aroundthe bottom of the skirt 9, because of the gradual equalizing effect of the port I3'l. Then the tank normally operates with a communication I31, I39, HI, chamber55, open valve 83, and port 9I to the atmosphere. Pressure due to evaporation is lost through these'ports.

It is clear that, when the alternative is used as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the float 63 no longer has the function of closing the valve in response to a rising liquid level, because there is then no rising level in the compartment .55. Float 63 then serves only the function of receiving the weight of the ball weight GI upon tumover of the tank, in order to avoid loss of fluid which might be forced out over the passage I39.

MI and to the compartment 55,

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope oi the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. Filling apparatus for liquid tanks and the like comprising a member having an upper inlet with sides, a deflecting member beneath said inlet, pillars connecting the deflecting member with the sides of the inlet, ridge means forming a part of the deflecting member and directed upwardly to form a rest for any inserted liquid-delivering nozzle, said ridge portion being streamlined from its upper edge and in downward and lateral directions, and a downwardly directed skirt surrounding said inlet member and spaced from said pillars.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a fuel tank, a member in the tank having an enclosed float chamber, a connection from said chamber to a point near the bottom of the tank, a depending skirt surrounding said member and adapted to limit the liquid level in the tank to a point below the top of the tank to trap air, a vent connecting the outside of the tank with said float chamber, a gravity-opened valve in said vent, a float in said float chamber adapted to operate said valve to close upon the liquid level in said float chamber reaching a predetermined elevation, said connection between the float chamber and the point near the bottom being adapted to cause a liquid level in the float chamber to be high enough in the float chamber under vapor pressure above the liquid in the tank so as to close said valve independently of the position of the liquid level in the tank,

3. In apparatus of the class described, a fuel tank, a member in the tank providing an enclosed float chamber, an open connection from said chamber to a point near tne bottom of the tank. a vent connecting the outside of the tank with said float chamber, a gravity-opened valve in said vent, a float in said chamber adapted to operate said valve to close when the liquid level in said tank reaches a predetermined elevation.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a fuel tank, a member in the tank providing an enclosed float chamber, an open connection from said chamber to a point near the bottom of the tank, a vent connecting the outside of the tank with said float chamber, a gravity-opened valve in said vent, a float in said chamber adapted to operate said valve to close when the liquid level in said tank reaches a predetermined elevation, said connection being adapted normally to conduct air to the tank from the float chamber, and to conduct fuel from the tank to the float chamber under pressure due to fuel evaporation in the tank.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a fuel tank, a member in the tank providing an enclosed float chamber, an open connection from said chamber to a point near the bottom of the tank, a skirt surrounding said member and depending into the tank and adapted to limit the liquid level therein to a point below the top of the tank to trap air, a vent connecting the outside of the tank with said float chamber, a gravity-opened valve in said vent, a float in said chamber adapted to operate said valve to close when the liquid level in said tank reaches said skirt, said connection being adapted normally to conduct air to the tank from the float chamber, and to conduct fuel from the tank to the float chamber under pressure due to fuel evaporation in the tank.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a fuel tank, a normally sealed suction line leading into said tank, said tank having a portion providing a filling opening, a cap for said opening, and means communicating between said suction line and said opening portion which is normally closed by said cap, the absence of the cap unsealing said suction line and its application sealing the same to permit suction therein.

7. In apparatus of the class described, a fuel tank, a member attached to said tank and providing a filling opening, a skirt extending downwardly into said tank and spacedly surrounding said member to a point below the opening, said skirt determining a volume outside the skirt for trapping air within the tank, a relatively small passage through the skirt connecting the trapped air with the volume within the skirt, and vent means connecting said volume .within the skirt with the exterior of the tank.

8. In apparatus of the class described,a fuel tank, a member attached to said tank and providing a filling opening, a skirt extending downwardly into said tank and spacedly surrounding said member to a point below the opening, said skirt determining a volume around it within the tank for trapping air upon filling the tank, a passage through the skirt connecting the trapped air with the volume within the skirt, vent means connecting said. volume within the skirt with the exterior of the tank, and a valve in said vent means adapted automatically to close upon substantial angling of the tank.

9. In apparatus of the class described, a fuel tank, a member attached to said tank and providing a filling opening, a skirt extending downwardly into said tank and spacedly surrounding said member to a point below the opening, said skirt determining a volume for trapping air outside the skirt but within the tank upon filling the tank, a small restrictive passage through the skirt connecting the trapped air with the volume within the skirt, vent means connecting said volume within the skirt with the exterior of the tank, and a valve in said vent means adapted automatically to close upon substantial angling of the tank.

10. In apparatus of the class described, a fuel tank, a member in the tank providing antenclosed float chamber, an open connection from said chamber to a point near the bottom of the tank, a restricted vent connecting the outside of the tank with said float chamber, a normally open valve in said vent, float means in said chamber adapted to operate said valve to close when the liquid level in said tank reaches a predetermined elevation, said connection being adapted normally to conduct air to the tank from said restricted vent according to the requirements of reduced pressure within the tank, and to conduct fuel from the tank to the float chamber under conditions of excess pressure in the tank caused by fuel evaporation, auxiliary and relatively unrestricted outlet means from the tank to the atmosphere, and a fusible plug in said last-named outlet means.

ORREN E, ZODER. 

